Housing

Arrange On-Campus Housing before Arrival

On-campus apartments are now assigned prior to May 15 of each year. IF YOU WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ON-CAMPUS HOUSING AND ITS POTENTIAL OPENINGS, you should have received your visa and notified the Housing department prior to May 14th to be put on their waiting list. If they have an apartment opening, you will need to arrive by June 1st to secure it and commence summer classes within thirty days.

*** 1 Bedroom apt. = 2 child limit; 2 Bedroom apt. = 3-5 child limit, depending on the age. IF YOU HAVE A SCHOLARSHIP, it is recommended in order to maximize your scholarship to arrive July 1st to commence studies. You can arrive as early as June 1st, especially if you wish to secure on-campus housing (see above). July 1st is the deadline for sending us all required documents for entering in the fall semester in mid-August. Attending the International Student Orientation is REQUIRED and falls three days prior to the general DTS orientation (international students have two orientations to attend). On-campus housing will not be available, so you will need to find housing in the nearby area before you arrive. Email the Housing Office for suggestions.

Live as close to the seminary as possible. Living away from seminary could require the immediate purchase of a car costing $3,000-4,000 USD (minimum). In addition, the maintenance costs, insurance, and gas could add thousands more to your expenses. Staying close to campus would defer and minimize any costs in this area. If you cannot stay in on-campus housing, seek off-campus accommodation within walking distance (see below). More than 50% of DTS international students live within walking distance of the campus.

Remember that you cannot live in a rent-free home where you are required to work in any way for the owner, i.e. free rent in exchange for service. That would be an illegal form of off-campus employment prohibited for your F-1 non-nonimmigrant status.

International Driver's License

You may wish to obtain an international driver's license (must be valid for the USA) before you leave. You will have mobility for 30 days until you can complete the paperwork for a Texas Driver's License. Keep your current national driver's license with your international license until both are replaced with your Texas license.

DTS Campus Housing

The Housing Office and our residents truly enjoy having our international students in campus housing and it is typically a very positive experience for our international students as well.

The following steps are necessary to be considered for on campus housing.

Immediately after becoming a fully admitted student, rather than the status of preliminary acceptance, send your housing application to the Housing Office. You can find the Housing Office application on Campusnet and e-mail it to housing@dts.edu.

Your name will then be added to the applicant’s list for housing. We may not offer apartments to international students until they have received their visas. Interview for visa does not meet this stipulation. You must receive your visa by May 15 in order to be offered an apartment for the Fall semester.

International students who will arrive in the United States for the first time, no more than 30 days prior to the start of their first class, will be given priority placement over all others except handicapped students.

Campus Housing Information

Dallas Seminary owns two apartment complexes, Washington Hall, which is available to single students and Swiss Tower, which is available to married students, with or without children, and single students with children.

Each contract is for an annual period that ends May 31st for Swiss Tower and June 30th for Washington Hall of each year. For the first year the lease will begin when you move into the apartment and will end on May 31st for Swiss and June 30th for Washington Hall like all other residents of the property.

To be eligible for residency in Seminary housing, residents must be a student at DTS taking a minimum of six hours per semester toward their degree (up to three of which may be taken online) at the Dallas campus. Residents are not required to be enrolled in Summer school, provided they will be enrolled in the minimum required hours for the following fall semester. Residents must be current on all Seminary accounts and must not be on any form of probation or in any form of disciplinary process through the Dean of Student’s office.

Off-Campus Housing

After you are accepted to DTS, call these apartments to check for availability and to sign up on the waiting list. Be sure you have your visa from the consulate ensuring entry into the US before you sign a lease committing you to pay rent!

Apartments within walking distance of the Seminary:

Swissaire Apartments*****: (214)-824-5500; 1-minute walk from the seminary. 1 BR $625/mo.. The waiting lists are usually long, so apply early. Ask for the seminary discount.

The View at Live Oak: (214)-370-8002; This is walking distance from the seminary. It is a gated community, and a number of our students live here. 1 BR $780